Stevenson: Why I was jiggered...

HE gave the English language the phrase ‘Jekyll and Hyde character’ and created the definitive idea of how a pirate should look in his book Treasure Island.

Now it has emerged Robert Louis Stevenson has another claim to linguistic fame. On what would have been the Scots author’s 165th birthday he was yesterday credited as one of the first people to use the term ‘jiggered’ to describe being extremely tired, in a letter to a friend.

The missive was released as part of a new collection of Stevenson memorabilia at Edinburgh Napier University opening to the public next year.

Lamenting his health woes, he concluded: ‘I’m jiggered.’

Scottish language and literature professor Dr Donna Heddle said of the writer, who died in December 1894, aged 44: ‘He was always very forward-thinking with his language.’